Martin Schaffernicht

The SEXTANT software: A tool for automating the comparative analysis of mental models of dynamic systems

The comparison of mental models of dynamic systems improves our understanding of how people comprehend, interpret, and subsequently influence dynamic management tasks. Approaches to comparing mental models currently used in managerial and organizational cognition research, especially the distance-ratio and the closeness-approaches, have been criticized for not considering essential characteristics of dynamic managerial situations. This paper builds on a recent analysis method developed to compare mental models of dynamics systems, and introduces this mathematical approach to management and organizational researchers by means of the SEXTANT software. It presents the process of mental model elicitation, analysis, comparison, and interpretation. An example with four elicited mental models illustrates the software’s features to analyze and present the results. Then, the software is compared with existing software to map and compare mental models. Our conclusion is that SEXTANT marks a significant step in enabling large-scale studies about mental models of dynamic systems.

Factores que inciden en el financiamiento de los estudios Universitarios en Chile

El articulo da cuenta de los principales factores que inciden en el financiamiento de los estudios universitarios en Chile, exponiendose los fundamentos y relaciones de un modelo para estimar el volumen de los recursos comprometidos y sus opciones de provision. En las ultimas dos decada el mercado universitario ha duplicando su masa de estudiantes fenomeno que continuara por esta senda, implicando serias presiones sobre el financiamiento publico, en un sistema que ya tiene una elevada participacion financiera privada. El modelo que se propone apunta a proveer un enfoque sistemico para abordar la problematica planteada.

ACERCA DEL PENSAMIENTO CAUSAL DINÁMICO: HACIA UNA PERSPECTIVA EDUCATIVA

Resumen En dinamica de sistemas, los vinculoscausales entre variables indican direccion y“polaridad”, lo que es dificil de aprender paraestudiantes. La revision de la definicion “po-pular” de polaridad y la justificacion de unadefinicion mas “completa” nos permiten se-nalar que pensamos en las variables en formaestatica. Una aproximacion dinamica nos con-duce a distinguir un patron de conducta ge-neral de la conducta particular debido a unevento. Encontramos un gran numero de con-figuraciones de conducta general para casoscon dos variables con un vinculo causal. Sololas cuatro configuraciones con conducta ge-neral estatica son bien clasificadas por la de-finicion “popular”; la definicion “completa”permite clasificar todas las configuraciones.Construimos un modelo conceptual de las con-figuraciones y cinco preguntas de investiga-cion. Terminamos mostrando el uso educati-vo de las configuraciones. Palabras clave: pensamiento causal, polari-dad, complejidad dinamica. Abstract In system dynamics, causal links betweenvariables indicate the direction and the polarityof influence. An examination of the “popu-lar” definition of polarity and the justificationof the “complete” definition suggest thatpeople think of variables in a static manner.A dynamic approach leads to a distinctionbetween the variables’ basic behavior and theirparticular behavior due to one event. We finda large set of basic behavior configurationsfor two connected variables. The “popular”definition holds only for those 4configurations that correspond to static basicbehavior, but the “complete” definitionclassifies all of them appropriately. Wepropose a conceptual model of theconfigurations and 5 research challenges. Wefinish showing a design for educational useof the configurations.

ITINERARIOS FLEXIBLES DE EXPLORACION DE MODELOS EN BASE DE BUCLES DE RETROALIMENTACION - EL CASO DE MACROLAB

Un modelo de dinamica de sistemas tiene multiples bucles de retroalimentacion. Posiblemente se puede explorar desde cualquier variable, ya que los bucles hacen recorrer el modelo entero. Esto podria permitir el diseno de actividades de aprendizaje diversificados, garantizando que se aprende lo mismo. Lo anterior se intento con el modelo macroeconomico MacroLab. Los resultados de la evaluacion de los modelos mentales de los sujetos sugieren que es posible. Pero el metodo usual de comparacion de modelos mentales basado en la razon de distancia es inadecuado. Se muestra como el analisis de los bucles permite disenar actividades de exploracion que aseguren la cobertura de ciertas variables, independiente del escenario de shock. Se derivan caracteristicas de un metodo general de comparacion de modelos mentales para la dinamica de sistemas. Las conclusiones son preliminares e indican los pasos futuros de esta linea de investigacion.

Competency-based university undergraduate teaching management

The human resources societies and their organizations can count on are more and more relevant. In that sense, a major challenge faced by universities is to give students the appropriate background to be professionals with the profile the current scenario requires. This article focuses the management of university careers. Historically, many careers have emphasized knowledge, especially abstract knowledge. Today, the trend is to address aspects that reach beyond cognition, and focus the attention in effective competencies that include procedures and attitudes. Such approach allows the opportunity of defining a holistic management of careers, reaching beyond the sheer teaching of disciplines. Concurrently, the availability of information methods and tools will contribute for the definition and implementation of a design process that can work with explicit criteria and transformations. The article proposes a conceptual model to represent the objects, and their attributes and associations that are considered of interest for the management of university teaching under a competency focus. A second stage should implement such model through the construction of an information system that supports the management of corresponding careers.